This invention relates to a structure for connecting an instrument panel-side connector to a vehicle body-side connector, and more particularly to a connecting structure for connecting an panel-side harness, mounted on a reinforce, to a connector fixed to a vehicle body.
As shown in FIG. 3, a reinforce 65 for reinforcing purposes is mounted on an instrument panel 61 of a vehicle, and extends between right and left side walls 62 and 63 thereof. In addition, a wire harness 66 for connection to wire harnesses (mounted on a vehicle body) is mounted on and along the reinforce 65.
For mounting the instrument panel 61 and the reinforce 65 on the vehicle body (not shown), first, the reinforce 65 is mounted on the instrument panel 61 to form a module 60. Then, right and left end 65A and 65B of the reinforce 65 of this module 60 are fixedly secured to the vehicle body by bolts, thus mounting the module 60 on the vehicle body.
Then, when the vehicle body-side wire harnesses (not shown) are connected to the wire harness 66 on the reinforce 65, the operation for mounting the instrument panel 61 and the reinforce 65 on the vehicle body is completed.
However, when the right and left ends 65A and 65B of the reinforce 65 are to be secured to the vehicle body by the bolts, the right and left side walls 62 and 63 of the instrument panel 61 conceal the right and left ends 65A and 65B of the reinforce 65, respectively.
Therefore, in order to facilitate this mounting operation, it has been necessary to form holes (used for the bolting operation) respectively in the right and left side walls 62 and 63 of the instrument panel 61 or to divide the instrument panel 61 into two (upper and lower) sections. Thus, it has been necessary to form the working holes in the instrument panel 61 or to divide the instrument panel into the two (upper and lower) sections, and this has prevented the degree of freedom of the design from being enhanced.
In addition, after the right and left ends 65A and 65B of the reinforce 65 are secured to the vehicle body by the bolts, the wire harness 66 on the reinforce 65 need to be connected to the vehicle body-side wire harnesses, and therefore there has been encountered a problem that much time and labor are required for mounting the instrument panel 61 and the reinforce 65 on the vehicle body.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a structure for connecting an panel-side connector to a vehicle body-side connector, in which it is not necessary to form any working hole in an instrument panel and to divide the instrument panel into two sections, and the time and labor for connecting a wire harness on a reinforce to a vehicle body-side wire harness can be saved.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an electric connection structure in a vehicle body, comprising:
a reinforce, on which an instrument panel of a vehicle is attached, the reinforce fixed on a part of the vehicle body;
a first connector, provided on at least one of both longitudinal end portions of the reinforce, the first connector electrically connected to electric equipments provided with the instrument panel; and
a second connector, provided on the vehicle body such that electric connection is effected with the first connectors when the reinforce is fixed on the vehicle body.
In this structure, the first (panel-side) connector can be connected to the second (body-side) connector by merely mounting the reinforce on the vehicle body.
Preferably, one of the first connector and the second connector includes a self-alignment member with respect to the other.
In this structure, the panel-side connector can be more positively connected to the second body-side connector when the reinforce is fixed on the vehicle body.
Preferably, the second connector is a connector included in an electric junction box provided in the vehicle body.
In this structure, there is no need a wire harness extended from the electric junction box. Therefore, a space required for wiring such a wire harness can be omitted.
Here, it is preferable that the structure further comprises a bracket for fixing the electric junction box on the vehicle body. The bracket serves as a retaining member which retains the reinforce on the vehicle body.
In this structure, a space, in which such an additional fixing bracket is disposed, does not need to be provided.
Here, it is preferable that the reinforce is formed with a flange portion, and the bracket is formed with a groove which receives the flange portion when the reinforce is fixed on the vehicle body.
In this structure, the reinforce can be mounted on the vehicle body by merely fitting the flange portion of the reinforce into the groove in the bracket.
In view of the above, in contrast with the related-art structure, it is not necessary to form working holes in the instrument panel or to divide the instrument panel into two sections, so that the operation for mounting the reinforce on the vehicle body can be carried out more easily.